The present invention relates to a pressure sensitive release device for interconnecting member ends to maintain tension therebetween and more particularly, to such a device wherein the release feature results from a sealed container being deformed when a threshold pressure is reached.
Pressure sensitive release devices have many applications, such as to unleash life rafts on a sinking ship or oxygen masks in a depressurized airplane. Many release mechanisms are known which could possibly be adapted with a pressure sensitive feature, such as those disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,094,345 and 3,563,098. Furthermore, soluble and absorbing materials have been utilized to trigger release mechanisms, as is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,582. All such release mechanisms usually contain springs and/or ball detents, so as to involve significant design complexity which of course would be magnified by adding a pressure sensitive feature thereto.